Button-attaching machine.



P-. R. WHITE. BUTTON ATTAGEING vMarum` APPLICATION FILED MAY I0, 1913.

1,083,420. Pane-mman. 6,1914..

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vPQR. WHITE.

'BUTTON ATTAGHING MACHINE. APLIoATIoN rumunlo, 191s. v 1,083,420 Patentedgan. e, 1914. 4 SHEETS-SHEET z.

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F. R. WHITE. BUTTON ATTAGHiNG MACHINE. APPLXG'AL'HON FILED MAY 1o, 1913.

Patented Jan. 6,1914.

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. ATTORNEY F. R.- WHITE.

BUTTON -ATTAGHNG MACHINE.

1 I APPLICATION FILEDMAY 10, 1913. 3 ,1,083,420u Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

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iran saires rarest @onirica FRANKLIN R. VHITE, OF WTER-TOVN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO PATENT BUTTON COMPANY, 0F WATERBRY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

BUTTON-ATTACHING MACHINE.

Application filed May 10. 1913.

13e it known that I, FRANKLIN R. Ti-nrs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of lvatertown, in the county ot Lit-chtield and State ot Connecticut, have made and invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Attaching Machines, of which the following is a specitication.

My invention relates to button attaching machines of t-he type wherein buttons are attached to a garment by means ot a suitable fastener by an upsetting, riveting, or similar operation, and the object thereof is to provide certain improvements in and relating to various of the elements which collectively form a machine of the type above referred to, all as hereinafter separately referred to and described and finally claimed; the same being a division of my application Serial No. 739,930, tiled January 3rd, 1913, for button attaching machines.

The drawings accompanying and -forming a part of this application illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention, although it will be understood that my invention includes such variations and modiiications of the specific torni of my invention illustrated as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates.

ln the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a view showing my improved button attaching machine in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a view showing the same in front elevation; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view taken upona horizontal plane indicated by the line 3*,3, Fig. 1, and showing certain staple feeding mechanism forming a part ot my machine; Fig. 4 is a similar` view showing the parts shown in Fits. in another position; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view taken upon a vertical plane indicated by the line 5-5, Figs. 3 and et, and illustrating` the operation of the parts, the parts being in the same positions in Figs. 3 and Fig. (5 is a similar view, the

parts being in the same positions in Figs. 4 and (3; Fig. 7 is a view showing a button receiver which forms a part of my machine in plan; Fig. T is a view showing a section upon a plane indicated by the line ada, Fig. 7; Fig. T1 is a view showing a section upon a plane indicated by the line b-Z), Fig. 7; Fig. S is a view showing a section upon a vertical plane indicated by the line 8 8, Fig. T; F ig. 9 is a fragmentary view showing the button setting or attaching mecha- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 19111.

serial No. 766,709.

nism of my machine, the same being taken upon a vertical plane, the location and position of which is indicated by the line 9-9, Fig. 3; Fig. 10 isCa similar view showing the parts in another position, and illustrating the operation of the parts; Fig. 11 is a similar view showing certain of the parts in section and more in detail; Fig. 12 is a view illustrating a detail of construction provided to facilitate the removal of a plunger forming a part of my machine; Fig. 13 is a view showing a section taken upon a horizontal plane indicated by t-he line 153-43, Fig. 9; Figs. 14 and 15 are views showing the lower end of the plunger of the button setting! mechanism of my machine; and Fig. 16 is a view showing a type ot imperforate base button in plan and elevation which may be attached to a garment by my machine.

Referring to the drawings wherein the preferred embodiment of myl invention' is illustrated, the reference nume'ral 2O designates a suitable support or pedestal, and 21 designates a suitable trame secured to the upper end of the pedestal and supported thereby,v and which frame serves to support the various operating elements of my improved button attachingl machine in proper position relative to one another. T he pedestal carries va table or tray 22 at its upper end and is provided with a bracket 23 having bearings wherein a shaft 2-'1 is supported and from which the operating elements @t my machine are driven through a connecting rod the lower end of which is connected with a crank arm 26 carried by the shaft 24. The shaft 24- is operated from a loose pulley 2T upon the shat, suitable clutch mechanism not. shown being provided whereby the pulley may be operatively connected with vthe shaftto drive the machine, which clutch mechanism is operated from a treadle through the rod 28.

-Pivotally supported by the frame 21 ot' the machine is an oscillating lever 2t), one end of which is operatively connected with the connecting rod 25 at 30, while the other end of said lever is operatively connected with a vertically movable button setting-plunger 81 through a link said plunger' being guided in its movements by a bearing provided for it in the frame 21. as best shown in Fig. 9. The leverin question thus oscillates about an axis at Fig. l, as the operating shaft 21 is rotated, as

will be understood; and the end of said lever is bifurcated to receive the upper end of the link B2 and is cut away to provide 1ecesses Bil, as best shown in Fig. 12, so that upon the pin being removed the plunger may be moved upward past the end of the lever Quand withdrawn from its guide or bearing in the frame 21.

The lower end 3() of the plunger 31 is in the form of a sleeve separable from the body portion thereoic and in threaded engagement therewith; and 37 is a removable d ie or heading pin, the upper end of which is dove-tailed and lits within a transverse dove-tailed groove 38 formed in the lower end of the plunger -as shown in Figs. 9 and 11, and the lower end of which extends through an opening 39 in the lower end of the sleeve 36, whereby the said die is held in a properly centered position with reference to the plunger 31. The lower end of the die is provided with two transverse grooves Zl0, Figs. 14 and 15, separated by a vcentral ridge d1., with which grooves the a. double pronged button latt-achof the form best shown 'in Fig. G engage when the plunger is moved downward, and whereby the points of the prongs are properly guided. past one another and prevented from engaging, as the prongs are bent or curved in the manner illustrated in Fig. 11.

The construction above disclosed obviously permits the button setting plunger to be readily removed from the machine and a new die or heading pin substituted for one worn in use with a minimum amount of dismantling of the machine.

The reference immoral. ll2 designates an anvil located in line with the plunger 3l and. Supported from the .frame Q1 as through a projecting flange t3 in contact with the frame, which anvil is held in place by a nut let in engagement with a threaded eX- tension ofthe anvil, as shown in Figs. 9 and 109 and upon the upper end of which anvil the two prong staples whereby the buttons are secured to a, garment rest preparatory to land while the button. is being secured in place.

Surrounding the anvil. lf2 and guided in its movemci'its 'thereby is a vertically yieldable jaw carrying member 45, the same being held points of ing st aple 1n its normal uppermost position by a spring 4G and the upward movement thereof being shown as limited by a p0riior. of said member coming into Contact with. the inider side of astaple receiving table 147, to be more fully described here.

inafter. "lhe said jaw carrying member is provided with two pairs of pivotally sup ported' jaws, the'y reir pail. 48 serving to guide the bfastening staples as they are moved from the table 47 onto the anvil 4t2, as will be hereinafter explained, and to prethe machine,

Losses() vent the staples from taking a. position with their prongs lying in a plane at an angle to the direction of movement of the staples; while the front jaws 19 grasp the staples after they have been moved onto the anvil and hold the same in an upright position while a button is being attached to a garment; all as illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6, and 9 of the drawings. Both pairs of jaws are preferably provided with inclined surfaces 50 adjacent their upper ends, and the upper end of the anvil is shown as provided with similar inclined surfaces 51; the purpose of these features being to avoid pessible injury to the jaws and anvil as the jaw carrying member l5 and the jaws carried by the same move slightly downward in the normal operation of the machine as will be hereinafter explained, and to permit the overhaiiging upper ends of the jaws to lie close to the upper end of the anvil without rendering the jaws and jaw carrying member liable to injury when the machine is in use. rlhe operation of the machine, however, is not dependent upon contact of the inclined surfaces upon the anvil and jaws coming into contact with one another; and the feature of supporting the jaws upon a vertically yieldable member is provided in order to avoid the necessity for a close adjustment of the parts, and to avoid injury thereto in the normal operation of The jaws aforesaid are pivo'tally supported at their lower ends by pins 5e, or latch 53 carried by and rotatable upon a pivot screw 54; and which ieeper may engage or be moved off from the heads of the pins to thereby permit the pivoted jaws to be easily removed after the removal of 105` the pins. rPhe pivoted jaws are forced toward one another by means of loop springs 56, 57, the free ends of which rest in re# cesses formed adjacent the upper ends of the jaws and the loop portions of which 11() springs lie nornially beneath the keeper 53, as shown in Fig. 2, and are prevented from rising and getting in thc way of the operator by said keeper. lllhcn, however, the longer or right hand end of the keeper swung upward preparatory to removing the pins and jaws, the springs may be swung upward and easily grasped by the fingers in order to remove them.

.llrom the above it will be obvious that theage rear jaws may close independently,off/tbe forward'jaw; and the said rear jaws will, when the lmachine'is in operation, .close to form mide 'for the succeeding staple at a time when the forward jaws n'iavl-ie still 125 held apart by the head of the staplclfthe material of the garment, and the downwardly extending hub of the button, as will be understood from Fig. 10, thc rearjaws being made somewhat shorter than the front jaws 13g which pins are held in place by a keeper Losanna v in order thatthe with their closing movement. The rear jaws thus return to the positions which they occupy while a staple is being moved onto the anvil earlier in the cycle of operation of the machine than would be the case if a single pair of jaws were employed; and the staple may be advanced toward the anvil earlier than has heretofore been the case in similar mechanisms, thus insuring that it will be in proper position when the next succeeding button is to be attached to the garment, which is a feature of importance f especially in machines designed-to operate at high speed.

The reference numeral 5S designates a support or bracket resting upon and suitably secured to the lower portion of the frame 21 and which block serves as a sup- ',port for various elements of the staple or equivalent fastener feeding mechanism. of my machine. The said bracket is provided with an opening adapted to tit over the flange 43 of the anvil and whereby the anvil and the elements of the fastener feeding` mechanism carried by said bracket are kept 1n proper posltio'n relative to one another.

. The under side of the bracket being fiat, and

the surface of the frame upon which it rests being also flat, the bracket may be easily adjusted about the anvil as a center and made to occupy a proper position relative to the lower end of a supply chute 59 to be hereinafter more specifically described, so that the fastening staples will be properly fed to the staple holding jaws and to the anvil. The bracket 58 supports the fastener receiving table 47 above referred to, which table vis provided with a slot 60; and the said bracket is provided with a guide-way Gl located beneath the slot 60 and within 'which guide-way .a reciprocating staple an oscillating bell-crank lever pivotally feeding slide 62 operates, said member having an arm GS'eXtending upwardly through the slot 60 and along the upper surface of the staple receiving table 47. The free end 64 of the arm 63 is adapted to engage succes'- sive fastening staples after they pass from the lower end of the staple chute 59 onto the table 47, and to push them from the table onto the upper end of the anvil and between the upper ends of the staple grasping jaws 49 hereinbefore referred to, as will be understood from Figs. 3 to 6 of the drawings.

The staple feeding slide is provided with a downwardly extending pin 65, and 66 is secured to the bracket 5S at 67 and one end of which is bifurcated to engage the pin G5.

The lever 66 is operated from the oscillating garment may not interfere yg atively connected with a cross head 73 slidable upon a pitman 7a the other end of which'is operatively connected with the bellcrank .lever G6 above referred to. A spring 75 surrounds the pitman T4 through which spring motion is transmitted to the slide 62, vand which spring will permit the crosshead to move without moving the lever 06 in case a staple gets jammed or caught on its way to the anvil and staple holding jaws; thus avoiding injury to the reciprocating staple feeding slide as will be understood. The bell crank lever 6G is provided with a screw 76 adapted to engage the bracket when the lever is at the end of its movement in the direction which results in movement of the staple feeding slide 62 toward the anvil, to thereby limit thc movement of the slide in that direction, as will be understood.

rlhe slotted oscillating lever is provided with a second arm 77 in operative engagement with a. pivotally supported lever 78, which lever operates an oscillating staple escapement 79 through a suitable connection 60, and operates also a rotary staple hopper zSl through a suitable connection 82 and suitable ratchet mechanism located beneath the hopper and designated as a whole by the reference character 83. rlhis operating mechanism is not illustrated in detail, as the same forms no part of the invention to ,which this application relates. The fastening staples after having been released by the escapement 79 as hereinbefore explained, pass from the lower end of the staple chute onto the staple receiving order to permit the removal of a staple should one become caught or jammed in this portion of the machine; the two guards thus forming a groove or raceway along which the staples pass on their way to the anvil. The pivotally supported guard is held in proper position by means of a-pin 100 eX- tending therethrough and intofa hole in the table a7. v

The reference numeral 101, Fig. l, designates a guard pivotally secured to the lower end of the staple chute 59 and extending over the points of the staples to thereby prevent the garment to which the buttons are attached from coming into contact lwith the said points.

The reference numeral 102 designates a rotary button feeding hoppei` designed to receive a mass ot' buttons and to supply the same to a downwardly extending button chute 103, which chute is twisted as shown conical throughout its entire extent, the. advancing edge of the button would contact therewith along a considerable portion of the edge, and the resulting friction -would tend to prevent the button from coming into a horizontal or level position, thus interfering with the operation of the machine.

T he button receiver above referred to and described will obviously move up eand down in the operation of the machine, for which reason l refer to it as a vertically movable button receiver, and while I have shown the.

said receiver as carried by an arm which is. pivotally connected with the frame of the machine, it will be understood that my inventi'on lincludes a button receiver having an up and down movement, together with the other elements and features enumerated in the claims in combination therewith, irrespective of the particular mechanism employed for permitting such vertical or up and down movement.

The arm 112 is provided with a lifting member 125 upon its under side and which member is shown as loosely supported in a slot formed in the end of said arm as by means of a transversely extending pin 126. rl`he forward or free end of this arm lies close to the hub of the butt-on after it has been attached to the garment, and the purpose of said member is to pull or to assist in pulling the attaching staple and the hub of the button from between the staple grasping jaws i9, after a button has been secured in place, to thereby insure that the said jaws will close as early as possible in the cycle of operation of the machine and thus permit the succeeding attaching staple to he advanced onto the anvil earlier than would be the case if the closing of said jaws was delayed.

In using my improved button attaching machine to attach buttons to agarment, the edge of the garment is placed beneath the button receiver and over the anvil and jaws hercinbefore referred to as shown in Fig. S). I'liereupom (it being assumed that a staple has been placed in position upon the anvil 42 between the staple holding jaws 49, and a button supplied to the button receiver, both as hereinbefore explained), the plunger 31 is moved downward until its lower end enters the button receiving cavity of the button receiver and engages the button, after which the button receiver moves downward with the plunger. The downward movement of the button receiver is finally arrested as the edge of the garment is caught between its lower surface and the upper surfaces of the staple holding aws Li9, after which the button is forced along the inclined wall of the button receiving cavity and through the bottom thereof as the free ends of the button receiving members 111 We apart from one another. In the meantime, however, the points of the fastening staple have been driven through the material of the garment and through the base of the button, and, as the plunger continues to move downward, the lower end of the hub of the button 'is forced between the staple holding jaws thus separating them in the manner illustrated in Fig. 10 of the drawings; the prongs being curled or riveted, as illustrated in Fig. 11, as the plunger reaches its lowermost position. During this operation the spring 46 obviously permits the carrying member t5 and the jaws to move downward, if necessary, as the button is attached to the garment. As the plunger subsequently moves upward the button receiver is forced upward bythe spring-pressed abutment 121 and the lifting member 125 engages the under side of the top plate or iange of the button and lifts the button and garment, thereby pulling the head of the attaching staple from between the jaws 49 and permitting them to close early in the cycle of operation of the machine. The button obviously now lies below the button receiver so that the garment may be readily moved into a position to receive a second button, and, as the parts finally return to their initial position shown in Fig. 9, a second staple and button are placed in position to be attached to the garment upon the next downward movement of the plunger. Y j

Having thus described and explained my invention, I claim and desire toT secure by Letters Patent 1. In a button attaching machine, a button receiver comprising a plurality of separable members having each. a recess and which recesses together form a button receiving cavity, the inner surface of said cavity having a frusto-conical portion at its bottom and two oppositely located inclined plane portions which approach one another as they descend and which plane portions merge with said frusto-conical portion.

2. In a button attaching machine, a verticallv movable -but-ton receiver having a plurality of separable members and a button receiving cavity adapted to vreceive a button and to permit the saine to escapel as said members are separated; and a garment lifting finger connected with said button receiver so as to move therewith and'which finger extends beneath the cavity aforesaid.

3. ln a button attaching machine, a vertically movable button receiver comprising a plurality of separablemembers having each a recess and which recesses together form a button receiving cavity, the inner surface of said cavity having a frusto-conical portion at its bottom and two oppositely located inclined plane portions which approach one another as they descend and which plane portions merge with said frusto-conical portion; and a garment lifting finger connected with said button receiver so as to move therewith and which finger extends beneath the cavity aforesaid.

l. In a button attaching machine, a vertically movable button receiver comprising a plurality of separable members having each a recess and which recesses together form a button receiving cavity; and a garment littingtinger connected with said butcon receiver so as to move therewith and which linger extends beneath the cavityaforesaid.

5. In a button attaching machine, a ver tically movable but-ton receiver comprising a plurality of separable members having each a recess and which .recesses together form a button receiving cavity, the inner surface of said cavity having a truste-conical portion at its bottom and two oppositely located inclined plane portions which approach one another as they descend and which lplane portions merge with said frusto-conical portion.

In a button attaching machine, a button receiver having a plurality oi' separable members and a button receiving cavity adapted to receive a button and to permit the saine to escape as said members are separated, the inner surface of said cavity having a trusto-conical portion at its bottom and two oppositely located inclined plane portions lwhich approa'cli one another as they descend and which plane portions merge with said trusto-conical portion.

7. In a button attaching machine, a vertically movable button receiver having a plurality ot separable members and a button receiving cavity adapted to receive a button and to permit the saine to escape as said members are separated, the inner suricacc o'f said cavit.)v having a i'iiisto-conical portion at its bottoni and two oppositely located inclined plane portions which approach one another as they descend and which plano portions inei'gc with said trusto-ciniical portion; and a gai-nient liftinglinger connected with said button 15eceivei so as to move therewith and which finger extends beneath the cavity a toresaid.

8. In a button attaching machine, a reciprocating plunger, a. guide therefor; an

oscillating operating lever. the end ot which extends into the path ot movement ot' said plunger and is' cut away in part to vpermit the plunger to be moved past the cud ot the lever: and a link connecting said plunger and lever through which said plunger is` operated.

9. In a button attaching machine, button setting mechanism con'iprisiug an anvil, a

' reciprocating button setting member copcrating therewith; staple Vfeeding mochanism aiflaptcd to move a staple onto said' nosaezo anvil; a pair of yieldable holding jaws adapted to grasp a staple and hold it in position upon said anvil; and a. pair oit yieldable guiding jaws located adjacent said holding jaws, and between which the staple passes 'as it is moved onto said anvil.

'10. In a button attaching machine, button setting mechanism comprising an anvil, a

reciprocating button setting member coperating therewith; staple feeding mechanism adapted to move a staple onto said anvil; a pair of pivotally supported yieldable holding jaws, the free ends'of which overhang the upper end of said anvil and which jaws are adapted to grasp a staple and hold it in position upon said anvil; and a pair oit pivotally supported yieldable guiding jaws located adjacent said holding jaws and the freev ends oit' which overhang the u per end of said anvil, and between which t. e staple passes as it is moved onto said anvil.

l1. In a button attaching machine, button setting mechanism comprising anv anvil., a reciprocating button sett-ing member coperating therewith; staple feeding, mechanism adapted to move a staple onto said anvil; a pair of pivotally supported holding jaws yieldable in a vertical direction and about their axis of support, and theA free ends of which overhang the upper end of said anvil; and a pair ot' pivotally supporting guidingV jaws yieldable in a vertical direction and about their axis ot support t located adjacent said holding jaws and loetween which the staple passes as it is moved onto said anvil.

12. In a button attaching machine, button setting mechanism comprising an anvil, a reciprocating button setting member coperating therewith; staple feeding mechanism adapted to move a staple ontojsaid anvil; a vertically movable jaw carrying mem-ii ber surrounding said member; a spring for holding said member in its uppermost position; a pair ot' piyotally Isupported yieldable holding jaws carried by said member, the upper ends ot` which jaws overhang the upper end of said anvil; a. pair of pivotally supported guiding jaws carried by said member, the upper ends of which aws overhang the upper end of said anvil, and between which the staple passes as it is moved onto said anvil.

13. In a button attaching machine, button setting mechanism comprising an anvil, a reciprocating liiitton setting member coperating therewith; staple feeding mechanism adapted to move a staple onto said anvil; a vertically movable jaw carrying nicuibcr surrounding said iiicii'iber; a spring for holding said member in its uppermost position; a pair ot' pivotally supported yicldable holding jaws carried by said memberJ the upper ends oi which jaws iai) overhalligfftl'e upper end of said .anvlg pan' -of plvoally 'Supported gnldlng jaws shorter than Said balding jaws carried by .smid member, the upper endsnf which jaws overhang thempper end Of said Yanvil, :ind between which the stple passes as it is 'Inpved onto said anvil.v

Signedv at 1Wn'cel'bur yv in thelcount-y of I seventh day of Ma'yA.'

EDNA M. HEALEY,

FRANKLIN R. WHITE.

J KATHARINE A. RUBEY. 

